Chapter 1

Ang ulan sa BGC ngayong gabi ay walang balak tumigil.

It was the kind of downpour that matched my exact state of mind—heavy, gloomy, at sobrang nakakapagod. Sitting inside a crowded coffee shop, nakatitig lang ako sa malamig na cup ng Americano ko. At thirty-five years old, I was supposed to have my life together. Pero eto ako, katatapos lang makipag-break sa ex-boyfriend kong walang ibang ginawa kundi ipamukha sa akin na matanda na ako, at fresh din mula sa panibagong sermon ni Mama sa telepono kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa ako nakakasal.

“Joy, Look at your cousins. May pamilya na, may sarili nang bahay. Ikaw, hanggang kailan ka magiging corporate slave lang?”

Ang boses ni Mama ay paulit-ulit na nag-e-echo sa utak ko. Isama mo pa ang toxicity sa office kung saan ang promotion na matagal kong pinaghirapan ay naibigay lang sa mas batang favored ng management. I felt suffocated, brokenhearted, at sukang-suka na sa pressure ng buhay.

Napa-buntong hininga ako at hinawakan ang nanlalamig kong mukha. Lord, kahit konting pahinga lang ngayong gabi, please?

Inayos ko ang mga gamit ko sa bag at nagdesisyong umuwi na. Pero nang makarating ako sa glass doors ng coffee shop, napatigil ako. The rain was pouring violently. At siyempre, dahil napakamalas ng araw na 'to, nakalimutan ko pa ang payong ko sa opisina.

Isusukbit ko na sana ang bag ko sa ulo para sumugod sa ulan nang biglang may humawak sa braso ko.

A warm, firm hand gently pulled me back.

“Magpapatila ka ba muna, o gusto mong magkasakit, Ate Joy?”

Napatigil ang mundo ko. That voice. Deep, smooth, with a subtle confidence that demanded attention. At ang pagtawag sa akin ng Ate Joy—iisa lang ang taong tumatawag sa akin niyan nang may ganyang tono.

Lumingon ako, at halos makalimutan kong huminga.

Standing beside me was Javier.

Ang nakababatang kapatid ng matalik kong kaibigan na si Bea. The last time I saw him, he was just a lanky, quiet twenty-two-year-old kid who left for abroad to study and build his own business. Pero ang lalaking nakatayo sa harap ko ngayon... he was entirely different.

Javier was now thirty, standing tall in a bespoke charcoal-gray suit that fit his lean, muscular frame perfectly. Sharp jawline, dark eyes that seemed to look straight into my soul, and an aura of power that practically radiated off him. He wasn't just Bea's younger brother anymore. He was now one of the country's most prominent young billionaires, the newly appointed CEO of Valderrama Holdings.

“J-Javier?” nauutal kong sabi. “Kailan ka pa nakabalik mula abroad?”

A small, half-smile curved on his lips. “A few days ago. I was supposed to surprise Ate Bea, pero nang makita kita mula sa kotse ko na nakatayo rito sa ulan, I couldn't just drive past.”

Bago pa ako nakasagot, he stepped out into the rain and opened a large black umbrella. Standard black umbrella lang dapat 'yon, pero dahil si Javier ang humahawak, mukhang scene mula sa isang K-drama movie. He held the umbrella over my head, completely shielding me from the rain, habang ang kanang balikat niya ay dahan-dahang nababasa.

“Nababasa ka, Javier,” mabilis kong sabi habang sinusubukang i-push ang payong papunta sa kaniya.

Instead of moving away, Javier took a step closer to me. So close that I could smell his scent—a subtle blend of expensive sandalwood and rain.

“Hayaan mo na,” napakababa ng boses niya, looking down at me with an intensity that made my heart leap in my chest. “Kahit mabasa pa ako ng ulan, basta hindi ka magkasakit.”

Ewan ko kung bakit, pero biglang uminit ang mga pisngi ko. Joy, umayos ka, paalala ko sa sarili ko. Kapatid siya ng best friend mo. At mas bata siya sa 'yo ng limang taon.

“Gabi na, Ate Joy. Let me drive you home,” alok niya.

“Naku, huwag na,” mabilis kong tanggi. “Mag-a-App cab na lang ako, ayaw kong makaabala sa 'yo. Magiging busy ka pa siguro sa—”

“Ate Joy,” pagputol niya sa akin. His tone left no room for arguments. “It’s past nine PM, malakas ang ulan, at mahirap kumuha ng ride. I’m not leaving you here alone.”

Without waiting for my answer, gentle niyang pinalibutan ang likod ko gamit ang braso niya—hindi nakadikit, pero sapat na para maramdaman ko ang proteksyon niya—habang ginagabayan ako patungo sa nakaparadang luxury Maybach sa gilid ng kalsada. A personal driver immediately stepped out and opened the door for us, pero si Javier mismo ang nag-assist sa akin papasok.

Nang makapasok kami sa loob ng sasakyan, the silence was deafening, except for the soft pitter-patter of raindrops against the tinted glass windows. The leather seats were plush, at ang amoy ng kotse ay amoy ng taong walang problema sa pera.

“Here,” Javier handed me a small, clean handkerchief. “Punas ka muna.”

“Salamat,” bulong ko habang kinukuha ang panyo. “Hindi mo naman kailangang gawin 'to, Javier. I mean, billionaire CEO ka na ngayon, baka may mga importanteng meetings ka pa.”

Javier leaned back against his seat, turning his head to look at me. Under the dim lighting of the car, his eyes glistened with a mixture of amusement and something deeper that I couldn't quite decipher.

“Kahit gaano pa ako kabusy, o kahit ano pa ang antas ko ngayon, you’re still priority to me,” kaswal niyang sabi.

Napatigil ako sa pagpunas ng kamay ko. “Ha? Syempre, dahil kaibigan ako ng ate mo...”

Javier let out a low, soft chuckle. Softly, he reached out his hand and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers brushed against my skin, sending a strange, electric shiver straight down my spine.

He leaned in slightly, his dark gaze locked onto mine.

“Huwag mong itago ang sarili mo sa likod ng pangalan ni Ate Bea, Joy,” whispered Javier, dropping the honorific 'Ate' for the very first time.

My breath hitched.

“Javier...”

“Ate Joy... hindi na ako bata,” seryosong sabi niya, his eyes burning with a raw sincerity that stopped the breath in my throat. “At hindi na lang din simpleng 'Ate' ang tingin ko sa 'yo.”

Tahimik ang buong kotse. Ang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko, parang naririnig niya sa sobrang lakas. Looking at him now, I didn't see the little brother who used to follow us around. I saw a grown, powerful man who was looking at me not as a mentor or a friend, but as a woman he wanted.

Unti-unting bumaba ang kamay niya mula sa mukha ko papunta sa mesa ng armrest sa gitna naming dalawa. Slowly, hesitantly, at parang nakiusap, he slid his hand over mine, wrapping his warm fingers around my cold ones.

Underneath the shadow of the dim car interior, amidst the pouring rain outside, he held my hand firmly.

I knew I should pull my hand away. I knew this was wrong. Maraming dahilan kung bakit hindi dapat—ang limang taong distansya sa edad namin, ang pagkakaibigan namin ni Bea, at ang malaking agwat ng mundo niya bilang billionaire habang ako ay isang simpleng empleyado lang.

Pero habang nakahawak ang mainit niyang kamay sa akin sa gitna ng buhos ng ulan, sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon pagkatapos ng mahabang panahon, naramdaman kong hindi ako nag-iisa.

And that was the moment I realized... my quiet, predictable life was about to change completely.